Trump And John Roberts

I continue to believe that there was something very disturbing about Roberts’ last-minute change of position, possible including blackmail. Recent revelations about other instances of the Obama administration spying on its political adversaries do nothing to reduce that belief.

26 comments on this post.

Gregg:

October 15th, 2017 at 12:48 PM

This is a good move and does many things.

It puts Congress firmly in the barrel – you guys [Congress] want the money to be appropriated? Appropriate it. No longer do you get a free pass, Congress. You have to put up or shut up. You have to make a stand.

Secondly it ends a totally illegal payment. Rand thinks Trump is as uncaring about the Constitution as Obama. I disagree. This action doesn’t prove me right. But what it does prove is that Trump is forcing the separation of powers and using the tools given to him by the Constitution to do it. This is how it was meant to be.

The Founders did not think the politicians would be angels; they gave them powers and abilities to preserve their prerogatives.

Nice Move Trump.

Along with that Trump is no longer certifying the stupid Iran deal which relieved Congress from taking a stand.

Good move Trump.

Michael:

October 15th, 2017 at 1:18 PM

I think that is why congressional democrats (and some republicans) are squawking so much — they now have to put their fingerprints on the thing and they do not like that one darn bit.

wodun:

October 15th, 2017 at 1:00 PM

Was there anything the Obama administration did that didn’t involve breaking the law?

I could take the left a little more seriously if they could admit to all of the illegal actions Obama took.

ken anthony:

October 15th, 2017 at 9:26 PM

The standard way the democrats avoid breaking the law is selective enforcement as we see here: the Obama administration was highly selective in enforcing…

But let’s not give Trump any credit for doing the right thing (which if you ignore twitter he’s been doing almost every day in office.)

If Trump is a democrat (which is a party, not an ideology) I wish there were more. The problem has always been the GOP.

Adults take responsibility when children run wild.

Gregg:

October 16th, 2017 at 6:05 AM

“But let’s not give Trump any credit for doing the right thing (which if you ignore twitter he’s been doing almost every day in office.)”

Don’t whine Ken – the first reply to this thread did just that…twice.

ken anthony:

October 16th, 2017 at 10:51 AM

That’s true. I didn’t mean to be dismissive. My apologies.

The main point is we are in this situation for reasons that are easy to see. The thing that’s hard to see is why adults don’t step up? Is everybody waiting for somebody else to go first? Then they should stop waiting because Trump is out there going first. All the adults have to do is support him because he’s taking all the arrows.

ken anthony:

October 15th, 2017 at 9:31 PM

The other way is they simply destroy the evidense which means they don’t care if people know they broke the law as long as they can’t be held accountable. “You mean wipe it with a cloth?”

It’s time we changed the standard for govt. employees. Guilty on every smirk. No parole.

Pug Sanchez:

October 16th, 2017 at 4:58 AM

The Obama administration was a big fan of authoritarian executive power. Like Rand has noted, the Obama and Trump administrations are more similar than either group would care to admit.

ken anthony:

October 16th, 2017 at 11:08 AM

Even if they were twins, the difference is huge.

Obama breaks the law and judges look the other way. Trump asserts his constitutional power and judges deem it illegal BECAUSE TRUMP.

Obama lies behind closed doors with his associates all agreeing the people are stupid. Trump tries to keep his promises, even compromising to make it happen, and everybody agrees he’s stupid. Stupid for believing America is the place we were taught it to be back in school.

People would sacrifice themselves for Obama. People would sacrifice their own goals which Trump is trying to achieve to be part of the elite know-it-alls that got us here in the first place.

Obama says stupid things “they better not call my bluff; in all 57 states” and is regarded a genius. Trump speaks the truth “powerful guys take advantage of woman” in the wrong way and almost nobody comprehends what he said wish was undeniably true. “they spied on us.”

The media is so proud of itself through it all.

Rick C:

October 16th, 2017 at 11:45 AM

“groupies put out”, which is a shorter version of what Trump actually said, is not at all the same as “powerful guys take advantage of woman”.

MfK:

October 15th, 2017 at 5:31 PM

I like Trump more and more every day.

Pug Sanchez:

October 16th, 2017 at 2:09 AM

Having laws that comply with our Constitution is a good thing. However I think Trump’s actions have more to do with his vendetta against Obama, than any allegiance to (or understanding of) our Constitution.

Broad strokes in line with conservatives? Or is every conservative initiative accidental? All randomly falling in the conservative direction?

I’d really like to get these people in a high stakes poker game.

October 16th, 2017 at 12:09 PM

Not all of Trump’s initiatives are conservative. Because Trump isn’t a conservative. He has no political principles whatsoever.

ken anthony:

October 16th, 2017 at 7:14 PM

Unlike McCain? Who just called decent American patriots half-baked fakes.

Have you ever heard that “perfect is the enemy of the good?”

Cutting Trump down (ESPECIALLY if deserved) just undermines the conservative agenda. This isn’t real life. This is politics. It’s one thing to say, “I disagree with Trump on this issue.”I personally don’t like the ACA replacement bills and glad none of them past since I’d rather a one sentence repeal as a starting point for fixing things. But it’s another to constantly chastise him for things that DO NOT MATTER. What matters is moving the ball to the right. That is exactly what Trump has been doing with rare exception.

So mention the exceptions, but leave out the trashing.

I thought Reagan was great, but he wan’t perfect either. People bashed him too. Despicable people. He was one of those half-baked fake patriots according to some. I’d like to dig him up to run against any leftist.

October 16th, 2017 at 8:37 PM

Unlike McCain? Who just called decent American patriots half-baked fakes.

I missed the part where I praised McCain. Can you point it out to me? Guessing you can’t.

Have you ever heard that “perfect is the enemy of the good?”

Of course I’ve heard that. The notion that Trump is “the good” is sort of insane.

ken anthony:

October 17th, 2017 at 1:29 PM

The notion that Trump is “the good” is sort of insane.

How is it you are blind to this when most of your readers get it?

As for McCain I was just being topical since he just said it. He’s the real democrat.

MikeR:

October 16th, 2017 at 4:15 AM

Hard to get over my frustration with Congressional Republicans and ACA. I understand it – they have somewhat different priorities and a very slim majority, and ACA is complex; there isn’t any way of undoing it that 50 of them could agree on.
But in the end, ACA is collapsing around us, and the ones who claimed that they care about the people who don’t have healthcare are going to be held responsible anyhow for their not having healthcare.
I really really wish that they had just passed a simple repeal, to take effect on Jan 1, 2019, and then opened the floor to everyone including Democrats to suggest things to do to get ready for that deadline. And – that all government preparations for ACA in 2019 are defunded now. That would have gotten rid of all the harmful ACA regulations, and made it impossible for them to change their minds at the last minute (“continuing resolutions”, “doctor fix”, etc.), because the infrastructure needed would already be gone.
I would have been happy to work with Democrats if they would start with the understanding that ACA is going to be completely gone in 2019, and whatever we come up with is going to be bipartisan or it probably won’t pass and everyone will be equally blamed.

October 16th, 2017 at 4:43 AM

They think they can still count on the media to shield them from their share of any blame. For that matter, McConnell seems to think Democrats can still count on the media to shield them from their share of any blame.

Gregg:

October 16th, 2017 at 6:47 AM

“I really really wish that they had just passed a simple repeal, to take effect on Jan 1, 2019, and then opened the floor to everyone including Democrats to suggest things to do to get ready for that deadline. ”

It’s a nice clean idea. Only problem is that the Dems would have gummed up the works trying to instill the same basic effects of Obamacide.

MikeR:

October 16th, 2017 at 8:56 AM

“Only problem is that the Dems would have gummed up the works” I’d rather deal with that, from a seller’s market.

MikeR:

October 16th, 2017 at 8:58 AM

I guess I’d add that I’d really rather have Democrats on board, even if that means giving up some stuff. You see what happens when you force things down people’s throat. At least, Democrats _should_ have seen what happens – I don’t know if they learned the lesson.

ken anthony:

October 16th, 2017 at 11:19 AM

The lesson they learned, with not a single republican vote, is that they can still blame the republicans for ACA… but that’s a game they’ve been winning since they shot Lincoln.

Gregg:

October 17th, 2017 at 4:20 AM

“I guess I’d add that I’d really rather have Democrats on board, …”

I agree with you. My point is that they wouldn’t agree with us. They wouldn’t play ball and compromise in crafting legislation that you would like. They would obstruct.

They aren’t in it for the good of the country and they don’t believe in freedom of choice….or freedom in general.